A Mumbai metropolitan court on Saturday issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against liquor baron Vijay Mallya in a cheque bounce case filed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The matter is now posted for August 6.
Andheri metropolitan magistrate A.A. Laulkar was hearing two applications filed by the AAI against M/s Kingfisher Airlines in connection with two cheques of Rs. 100 crore which were dishonoured.
The AAI sought cancellation of permanent exemption from court appearance granted to Mr. Mallya, who has left the country amid an outcry over his company defaulting on repayment of over Rs. 9,000 crore to the banks, and sought an arrest warrant against him.
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On May 7, the magistrate directed Mr. Mallya to appear before the court on Saturday failing which a NBW would be issued. Earlier on, advocate Anil Kathuria appearing for the AAI said “The court has in a way cancelled his permanent exemption and answering our prayers gave him last chance to appear before the court. The court said if he fails to appear it would issue a non-bailable warrant against him.” He also said Mr. Mallya owes the AAI a sum of around Rs. 294.57 crore for which it has already moved the Bombay High Court.